Dentist – Smiling Career

Dentistry is the branch of the healing arts and sciences devoted to maintaining oral health. It is a dynamic
health profession, offering opportunities to become a successful, highly respected member of the
community. It is accepted as a professional field which help people maintain their health and appearance.
Dentists or dental surgeons provide surgical, medical and other forms of treatment for oral and dental
disorders and diseases by examining teeth and mouth of the patients.

Education & Skills Required:
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery or BDS, is commonly known prepares a student for prevention, diagnosis
and treatment of all diseases, malformations and injuries related to the mouth and its components. To get
into this field one must pass the 10+2 level with Physics, Chemistry and Biology to apply for the
competitive entrance examination. This degree program is a five-year course that is divided into four parts
each of one years’ duration followed by a year of internship. The Dental Council of India registers those
who have completed the BDS to practice dentistry. After completion of this degree, many graduates choose
to join a government hospital to get hands-on experience.
Dentists must have excellent communication skills. They must be detail oriented, so patients receive
appropriate treatments and medications. Must be good at working with their hands. Most dentists work in
their own practice. This requires them to manage and lead a staff. Dentists may work for long periods of
time with patients who need special attention and need a strong Physical stamina. Good at problem solving skills and must evaluate patients’ symptoms and choose the appropriate treatments.

Specialization:
A BDS degree alone is not considered enough to succeed in this profession so one will have to go for a
Master of Dental Science (MDS) degree. One can also pursue various certificate and diploma courses to
upgrade and update the knowledge in this field. Keeping up with the trends of open and distance learning,
the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), in collaboration with the Dental Council of India
launched two programs, a PG certificate course in Endodontics and a PG certificate course in Oral Implant.

Career prospects:
If you are looking for a rewarding career in health care with a competitive salary and a sustainable work life balance, dentistry may be for you. A degree in dentistry offers a number of career options, including:
Private practice either as a general dentist or specialist (self-employed, employee, associate/ partner),
Dental departments of government or private hospitals, nursing homes, dental clinics and health
departments, Teaching in dental colleges, Medical insurance firms, Researcher or adviser in a
pharmaceutical or a dental care company, Armed forces and State Government Jobs.

India is fast gaining ground as a hot destination to get that perfect smile at a fraction of the cost, compared
to many parts of the world. So, does that make dentistry a lucrative career option? Undoubtedly! Most
dentists are general practitioners and handle a variety of dental needs. Other dentists’ practice in one of
nine speciality areas:

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Manu Anand
Director Alpha Mindz, Goa
Email: manu@alphamindz.com